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Using your Android to Become a Better Outdoorsman

The good old-fashioned outdoors resisted technology for a very long time, but with the help of Android you can augment your wilderness experiences and make them much better. If you’re one of those guys who prefers a physical compass over a digital one, then this article aims to change how you tackle outdoors.

There are a ton of activities that you can do outdoors but when it comes to being called an outdoorsman, hunting, fishing, and hiking comes to the mind. And just like always, Android aims to improve how you do all 3 of them and much more.

I’ll be completely honest, I’m not a very outdoor person and perhaps this is why I have chosen a profession that compliments my “indoor-ness”. I don’t like going outside, it’s because I live in a big city and there is not much nature around to explore.

However, if you are big on canoeing or walking mountainous trails, Android can be a big help for you in all your adventures. While these apps may not be able to completely overhaul the outdoor experiences, there will certainly make you a better outdoorsman.

Get Android Wear

Having a digital watch on your hand with a compass running on it makes it a lot better. Not only you’ll be able to get important information right on your wrist, but also don’t have to take out your smartphone for directions. I think this is a must have gear in a technologically advanced outdoorsman’s arsenal.

There are a ton of different Android wear compatible watches available these days and most of them are waterproof as well. Get a good sturdy strap with a waterproof body and you’ll be set for every activity, well except deep-sea diving.

Get a Power Bank

The only drawback of owning an Android smartphone or tablet and traveling in the wilderness is the not so stellar battery timings. Sure the newest smartphones can run for a whole day but when you’re taking pictures out and about and using navigation apps for Android, the battery tends to drain a lot faster. So, I highly recommend that you invest in a good quality power bank with a large capacity, if you want to camp out for a couple of days outside.

Get Some Apps

What’s Android without apps? Well, it’s still a great operating system but apps make it a lot better. So, in order to become a better outdoorsman, check out these apps that will augment your outdoor experiences:

ViewRanger – Trails & Maps

While there are a ton of maps and navigation apps for Android, not many of them cover the treacherous mountains and trails. And every outdoorsman worth their salt would want to know shortcuts to their favorite camping spot.

One of the best things about this app is its compatibility with Android wear smart watches. This means you’ll be able to navigate your trail and view tracks stats on your wrist. That’s not all, you’ll also be able to record a new track for others to follow.

The app is also able to display heading, bearing, latitude, and longitude as well as altitude data right on your smart watch. All in all, I highly recommend this app if you are going on a hike or trekking.

Compass Steel 3D

This is a very simple compass app for Android devices as well as Android wear and it works flawlessly. There are multiple color themes that you can select, so you won’t get bored with just one look on your compass.

You’ll also be able to choose between 2 heading modes, true heading that is based on true North and magnetic heading which is based on magnetic North. Another neat feature of this compass is that it tells you the sun direction which may be useful in deciding when to stop and set base.

Weather by WeatherBug

We have already discussed a ton of weather apps for Android and a dedicated article but this one caught my eye due to its lightning alerts. While a great many weather apps provide detailed weather data and real-time forecasts, a lot of them don’t actually discuss thunderstorms.

This app claims to deliver thunderstorm alerts 50% quicker, so that you can better manage your time outdoors. There are also 18 animated maps, international forecasts as well as great many customization options.

St. John Ambulance First Aid

The interface on this app is extremely basic and downright blocky if you ask me, but it gets the job done. The illustrations may not be as sharp as we are used to because they are of obviously low resolution but they get the point across perfectly.

And in all honesty, in an emergency situation, you need proper guidance, not a polished interface. As the name suggests this is a first aid manual that helps you provide first aid services to other people in crisis. I recommend that you at least go through it in leisure to simply gain basic information.

Offline Survival Manual

When you’re outside there is a chance that you won’t get stellar network connectivity and this means you won’t be able to connect to the Internet either. This Off-Line Survival Manual is completely available off-line which is quite important in case there is an extreme emergency.

The app is basically an e-book on how to survive many different outdoor situations and provides high-quality diagrams to explain the theories behind. From containing information on making fire, finding food, building a shelter and even healing yourself, this is an almost complete survival manual.

I highly recommend this app to anyone regardless of their hobbies or activities, even if you stay inside, having this app on your smartphone makes sure that you’ll survive any kind of extreme natural disaster.

Conclusion

These are a few ways that Android can make you a better outdoorsman. I know these are not some magical apps and gadgets that will make you the Superman of outdoor activities, but they will most likely simplify your outdoor endeavors and make them more fun.

So, when was the last time you went hiking or snow trekking? Tell us your stories in the comments below because I’m a lazy guy and I would love to live through them.

Reader Interactions

Comments (2)

I thought that was a nice departure from the normal “geek” stuff we get all day long on all these sites. I don’t hike anymore but if I did I would sure look into the ViewRanger app. Keep on surprising us with these little “road trips” of yours. I like “em!